Pneumatic and hand powered ratchet wrenches are well known in the art. Such wrenches typically consist of a ratchet mechanism having a shift lever and a drive square for receiving a socket. The shift lever is coupled to at least one pawl which is pivotally mounted and has teeth formed on its outer ends. The pawl(s) are mounted in a manner to engage teeth formed on the inner surface of the yoke, ratchet head or teeth on the outer circumference of the ratchet mechanism. Rotation of the shift lever to one position urges one end of the pawl or pawls into engagement with the teeth of the yoke, ratchet head or ratchet mechanism. The pawl or pawls prevent rotation of the drive square and socket in one direction while allowing rotation in the opposite direction. Switching the shift lever to the second position pivots the pawl(s) causing the engaged teeth on the pawl(s) to become disengaged while causing the teeth on the opposite end of the pawl(s) to be urged against and engage with the teeth of the yoke, ratchet head or ratchet mechanism.
It is beneficial to lubricate the area of engagement between the teeth formed on the yoke, ratchet head or ratchet mechanism of the wrench and teeth formed on the ends of the pawl(s) to prevent excessive wear of these teeth and to allow the pawl(s) to pivot more easily within the bore of the yoke. In the past, this was accomplished by removing the ratchet mechanism and applying grease or other lubricants to the ratchet mechanism, the pawl(s) and the teeth of the yoke wrench head or the ratchet mechanism.
More recently, manufacturers have placed a grease fitting for application of lubricants in the shift lever of a self-contained ratchet mechanism. However, grease fittings within the self-contained ratchet mechanism do not supply the necessary lubrication directly to the area of engagement between the teeth formed on the pawl(s) and the teeth formed in the inner surface of the yoke of the wrench or wrench head, or the teeth formed on the outer circumference of the ratchet mechanism.
Thus, there is a need to provide a ratchet wrench with a port formed within the yoke of a pneumatic wrench or the ratchet head of a hand wrench for application of lubricants to the area of engagement between the teeth formed on the outer ends of the pawl(s) of the wrench and the teeth formed in the inner surface of the yoke, ratchet head or the teeth formed on the outer circumference of the ratchet mechanism.